Equine Science Major (HS senior needs advice)

[PetPony]

Hey there

I am currently a HS senior and applied to a few colleges. I already got accepted to my top choice (Auburn) and am now doing some scholarship work so I ca actually go there. It's looking pretty well so far and I am very excited for college.

I know I still have time to figure out my major and stuff and that I can even change it if I change my mind later on. But I'm trying to figure out as much as possible before I start school next year.

I have been riding horses for about 10 years and would love to do something in that field, so a few weeks ago, I thought about my little-girl-dream of being a vet. Equine specialized vet to be exactly. After doing some research and reading through this forum (which I fell in love with btw the first time I looked at it; it's awesome, so much great info!), I understand that I do not have to be a science major in order to apply (and hopefully be accepted) to vet school. But I feel like it would be very helpful to have a related major that has some of the same classes that I need for pre-vet anyways.

I have been looking at an Equine Science major, but people seem to have mixed feelings about it. I feel like that is really what I'd want to do, but is it really a good way to go? I am not very talented when it comes to science; I had a pretty hard time in my science classes. That was though while I had no interest in it whatsoever. I realize that it will be a lot of hard work for me, but I think because I am actually interested in it now and think it is the right thing to do, I think I could handle it. I can deal with a lot if I really put my mind to it.

My only concern now is: What can an Equine Science major do for me in case I do not get into vet school? I'm not being pessimistic but I'm pretty sure everyone here understands that concern. Haha. Is it really a smart idea to choose that as a major. I realiza that overall Animal Science would probably better because it covers a broader field, but I don't know if I could bring enough enthusiasm for it. Same for another major outside of the animal field. So is it better to major in Equine Science and do really well cause it is what I really wanna do, or choose something that may be more useful in the long-run in case I don't make it into vet school?

Also, I have heard/read that more large-animal vets may be needed and that it would be a good field to study in vet school. I don't know if that is right, but it'd definitely be what I would do. I also feel like Auburn would be a good school for that, with having that awesome large animal hospital and all. I really liked being in Auburn for horse shows this summer and knowing that 'my' horse was getting great treatment there.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this. Haha. Sometimes I have some trouble finding the right words in English and explaining something, because it sounds more complicated tha in German to me.

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[EllieGirl89]

You are right to question what an equine science major could do for you if you don't get into vet school. The short answer? Not a whole lot. I mean, sure you could get a job as a trainer or a stable manager or something, but that is something you could do without a degree, just by being a working student or gaining experience and working your way up. A degree in Equine Science really wouldn't gain you much benefit over somebody who has worked for a long time in the equine field.

An Animal Science degree might be a better choice. That's what I will graduate with in the spring. Honestly, if for some reason vet school doesn't work out an Animal Science degree won't serve me a much better purpose than an Equine Science degree but it's at least a little broader.

A few things in your post concern me, however. The first is that you didn't do well in your science classes. Whether or not this was because you weren't interested, doing well in science classes is CRITICAL to getting into and being successful in vet school. Personally, I think a lot of the sciences are pretty tedious, but I FORCE myself to get acceptable to good grades in them because I realize that this stuff is important. Even if you think you'll be more interested in science classes now that you've kinda-sorta decided to be pre-vet, the fact that you did poorly in high school science could mean that your foundation is weak and you might have trouble in your college science courses. I aced all my sciences through high school, and I'm still an "average" student in college sciences, with a pretty even distribution of As and Bs, as well as one C+ and a C.

Another thing that concerns me is that you say that you think you wouldn't be interested in a broader Animal Science degree. I don't know if you're aware, but even if you go to a vet school where you choose a "track" (in your case, equine medicine), you are REQUIRED to learn about small animals and food animals as well, not to mention the very heavy science curriculum that I addressed above. If you are under the impression that you can go to vet school and learn solely about horses and eqiune medicine, you are mistaken.

Also, you mentioned the shortage of large animal vets. When people refer to this shortage, they are typically referring to the shortage of FOOD animal vets, which excludes horses. A lot of the shortage in food animal medicine is in public health and food regulation, safety, and inspection, not necessarily in private practice.

I too want to be an equine vet so I feel your enthusiasm there. But also understand the financial ramifications associated with that desire. Vet school can put you in debt upwards of $200,000 and equine vets have among the lowest starting salaries of all veterinarians, averaging around $40,000 compared to a small animal vet with an average starting salary around $60,000. That's something you definitely need to consider in your choice.

You seem to not be very open to other possibilities. I don't mean that as an insult, but in observing statements like "I don't think I'd like an animal science curriculum" and "I did poorly in science classes because I wasn't interested" just seems to me like you need to go to college and explore a little bit.

My suggestion to you would be to go to college and don't declare your major right away. For most majors there are certain GECs you have to take, so get started with your basic English, Math, History, etc. Then take a course or two in Animal Science, maybe a biology or a chemistry. See if you feel overwhelmed and if you want to do vet med badly enough that it makes the science classes worth it. Take some completely off-the wall classes, like maybe a dance class or an art class or a literature class or a psychology class. You may discover interests you never knew you had, and that's really what college is all about.

Also, look into your school's pre-veterinary resources such as a pre-vet club or volunteer/shadowing/internship opportunities. These will give you a chance to explore the profession and see if it's right for you.

Good luck!

 

[PetPony]

Thanks for the quick answer; though it might have been that some stuff might have come over wrong. Or I just didn't word it right, i don't know. It was very helpful though.

I worked as a working student this summer and spend a ton of time at the barn with my trainer, both riding and learning about barn stuff. I als love to read books about both equine and overall animal vet. I realize that I won't only be studying horses in vet school, I am not that ignorant. But I would rather do something in my first four years that I am most interested in.

I didn't do exceptionally well in my science classes, but I wouldn't say I was terrile either. I was never in danger of failing and have always but once (in Physics) had Bs. Without paying attention to it or studying much. So I believe that if I put the effort into it, I can get good grades, because I do realize that these are important classes. And pre-vet is not something I kinda-sorta decided for, but what I definitely want to do, I'm just looking for a major to go with it.

I am shadowing a large animal vet this summer, who is mostly focused on horses, but I am looking to shadow another one with different large animals, because I know that vet schools prefer it when you've had experience with more than just one species. As soon as I get my social security number, I also want to apply at the small animal hospital close to where I live. Although I'm willing to volunteer there if I don't get a paid job. So I am working on getting prior experience to figure out how it will be. Maybe I even will like a differen focus once I learn more about it.

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm dragging this out, but I'm really just trying to figure it all out a little more. I'm also working on bettering my study habits. haha

 

[UM2014]

I'm also a life long horse person. Grew up on the AA Hunter/Jumper circuit.
I had a lot of friends in college that were equine science majors and not one of them is able to find a job with it. Several are working students now like they always planned but those jobs were waiting for them before they started college (parents are professionals with lots of connections).The others have not been able to get their foot in the door and their degree is basically useless.

That being said equine science majors vary a lot from school to school. Some provide you with a bit more breadth/experience in terms of business, etc that can help when finding work after graduation. Personally, I would not get an equine science degree as a fall back. Most top professionals (top shows, olympians, etc) won't touch an equine science degree with a ten foot pole because of the bad habits some programs teach when hiring riders but will consider them for book keeping type positions.They really want to see experience, work ethic and talent above all else though. I know one equine science major that has a job with a corporation loosely associated with animal products but it had more to do with her slow climb up the ladder and lots of experience than her degree.

I would take EllieGirl's advice and take some time to explore your first year in college to see if you can find an alternate back up plan that interests you. I was originally an animal science major in undergrad and hated every second of every animal science class I had to take so I'm very glad I found a degree that made me happy. I ended up majoring in Biomedical Sciences after I picked up a job in a research lab working on regenerative medicine. I loved it and easily found a full time job in a corporate setting with my degree in the semester I had off between undergrad and vet school doing similar research. I didn't think I'd be all that interested in a degree like that but I was 100x more interested in those classes then anything related to animal science so it's always good to keep an open mind.

If you explore some options and still think the only way you'll be interested enough to pull the grades for vet school admission is to be an equine science major then by all means go for it. Just be aware that it can be very tough after graduation if you have a gap year. Maybe look into a business type major. Horse people are notoriously bad business men/women and you could really provide a valuable service to the larger operations if you have a good set of business skills. A top barn manager is worth his/her weight in gold! You could even possibly work with vet clinics, etc and if you do get into vet school those skills will be hugely valuable once you graduate.

 

[skittles12]

I agree that the Animal Science degree might be a better choice. I know that at least here at UT, horses are mentioned pretty often in the animal science classes, and there are a few horse-specific courses in the curriculum as well. It would give you a broader base to work with, and it would also allow you to gain experience with other species, which would be useful for vet school. If you are really serious about the equine science, contact the schools you are interested in and ask them about jobs after graduating with that degree. What kind of opportunities are available? How many graduates find jobs? Pay?

As far as broadening your experiences, you could look into volunteering at a local shelter or a zoo if there is one nearby. I think it's good to not limit yourself to just horse + dog, cat. I did an internship with reptiles and really enjoyed it--I learned that snakes and turtles can be pretty cool too.

 

[PetPony]

Thank you for all the advice. I realize that right now I'm pretty stuborn about the horse thing, but it's been all I've been doing the last years. But I can see myself getting excited about other species, too, once I get the chance to learn some more about them, especially the more exotic ones. That's why I want to get as much experience as possible in the near future.

I can see the business major as being a good choice for horse people. Hahaha. Money seems to be a popular problem in the horse world. Before I wanted to do pre-vet, I did think about business combined with foreign language. I'm fluent in German, pretty good with Spanish and learning Dutch and French. Maybe I'll just do something with that, because when I focus on it I'm really good at learning languages quickly. What I'd also love to do after vet school would be an equine vet for international horse shows like the World Equestrian Games and such. I realize that's a lot to ask for, but you gotta dream big to get big, right? Everybody can dream, you just have to be determined enough to get there.

I think I'll be talking to schools about job oportunities and such, like you said, skittles, thank you.

 

[flyhi]

PetPony,

It sounds like you have a great grasp of what you ultimately want and what you need to do. If you were a racehorse, i'd bet on you to place for sure! I am a definite proponent of making your app stand out and if linguistics and business float your boat, along with doing the hard core science pre-req's, then by all means...go for it. Imagine what you could bring to your interview that others may not...all of your experiences..perhaps a semester abroad at a German university. Your dream of being an equine vet, combined with fluency in German and/or Spanish...c'mon...the opportunities are endless. I come from a real-world business background and am still considering tacking on an MBA with my vet degree. We are all going to be small business owners of some sort - whether you open your own practice, or 'work for someone else', you are still the ultimate one responsible for all of your business goals and needs.

You are definitely well on your way with showing adcoms you are serious by getting lots and VARIED experience...don't forget that part You remind me of myself 20 years ago! Go for the Gold. This forum is a fabulous source of information and more importantly, a great network and support group. I met people on this forum a year and a half ago and now they are my classmates overseas! Stick with us, we'd love to see you go through college and on to vet school.

Good Luck!

 

[PetPony]

So.. I had applied for early action to both Auburn and University Georgia. I got accepted to Auburn pretty soon after sending in my app and I was all set on going there. It was where I have spent three weeks this summer, where we always bring our horses, my trainer's favourite school........ I really liked it and didn't even give UGA much thought. My mom wanted me to apply to a college in-state, so I picked that one, although I doubted I'd get accepted.

Well, I did get accepted. And the dilemma started. My mom thinks UGA is much better than Auburn although she's never been in college and also doesn't much about it. She never did any research, but UGA is the way to go, of course. Hahaha. yea..

But, after comparing their undergrad programs and costs of tuition and housing and everything else..
I picked UGA because it would be much cheaper and after reading so many posts here in the SDN forum, I'd prefer a smaller debt of course. I haven't paid my deposit yet, but looked at housing and everything, starting to get excited about college being so close and such. I made my decision.

Then a letter came from Auburn. I was awarded a $60,000 scholarship over 4 years. Great. As awesome as that sounds, now I have to start all over again. Now both colleges would cost about the same for me. I still haven't heard about any scholarship stuff about UGA, although I would get HOPE (instate scholarship) for it, which pays for a big part of tuition. I do really like the undergrad program at UGA, especially the large/food animal stuff. (There is one program that if you get accepted into it and you pass it, you will for sure get a spot at the UGA vet school. they only take 5 people a year though. but still. that's pretty awesome ) But Auburn is where I really wanted to go... It's hard to just choose one of them. UGA will leave me with a smaller debt and I think the program would fit me better, but it's still hard to let go of my first choice Auburn..

 

[JumpHigherLivie]

Re: the equine science majory. can you minor in it?

Now, when I was in your shoes I'm sure I wouldn't have taken my own advice but I figure I'll give it a shot.

I'm a life long horse person, brought my two to vet school with me, have ALWAYS planned on being a boarded equine vet, spent 1,000s of hours with equine vets, even stayed on call with them through the night ... so there was nothing about the field that surprised me. Yet, in my second year of veterinary school, I've decided not to be an equine vet. It has nothing to do with me "suddenly realizing how much work it is" etc. ... just lots of life situations playing into it and what not. The point is that I would have NEVER in a million years thought I would make that decision (and if I was you reading this I would have said "sorry but that I will NEVER be me" ... but it is and I'm really really glad that I kept my options open).

Horses will always be a huge part of my life ... just not my career.

 

[PetPony]

Yea, I realized that I don't want to major in equine science anymore. I also don't want to specialice in horses alone, although I want them to be part of it. I want to be a food/large animal/equine vet, mostly focusing on the food animal stuff though.

If I was still for the equine science, I'd go to Auburn, just because I like that program and we always liked how they took care of our horses. But it's not only horses anymore, so that makes it hard for me to make a decision about which college to go to. Auburn or UGA.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I gotta agree - Animal Science. There will always be equine electives for you to take in addition to your core courses. I even took it further and majored in Biochemistry in undergrad to make sure I did not "pigeon-hole myself". However, if you're not a fan of the hard sciences, I would avoid that You always need to think about what your major will bring if vet school, for one reason or another, does not happen or takes longer to happen than you think. Broad bases are always good.

Things continue to change in vet school. I was hell-bent on exotics and research when I entered vet school. Now I love pathology and bovine medicine/herd health.

 

[PetPony]

Well, my mom made me choose, because she wanted the registering for housing done. So.. I chose UGA. That's where I'll be going. :]
And I think, I feel pretty good about it. Yea, I think it's the right choice. :]

 

[SouthJerseyBell]

PetPony,
I am very similar to you, I love my horses and I grew up wanting to do something with them. I know you want to do veterinary med, but keep in mind the opportunities in research. I went to Rutgers (NJ) for undergraduate and a lot of students switched from pre-vet to research once they got a taste of research. We did a lot of cooperative research with Auburn so i know they have animal research opportunities there, UGA, I do not know so much about. But like the girls before me, I will say, keep your options open, as well as your mind.

I decided to continue with veterinary medicine as it is what i want to do, but your still young, and its ok to change your mind. My advise is to try different things when your in college. You are already shadowing vets which is excellent for your experience into the field. I eventually picked Rutgers because it had the veterinary medicine, research, and pharmacy options as back-up majors. Some of the best advice I have heard is to monitor your enthusiasm about your future career. After a long day of treating other people's horses/animals will you have the energy to go attend to your own? Some people get sick of picking up hoof after hoof throughout the day. But if you have the passion, go for it.

Best of Luck, and no matter what school you go to, half of the education you receive is what you do with yourself while your there.

 

[ziva]

Just a note about UGA, since that is where I did my undergrad. They dont have an equine science degree. They do, however, have an option to add an "emphasis" on to your animal science degree. So you could do an animal science degree with equine emphasis. This way you could focus your animal science degree on horses while still getting the broader animal science degree. The animal science classes and professors are really great, and I actually found out at my graduation that our college of ag was ranked number 4 in the country. So going to UGA over Auburn is not a downgrade at all.

I would also look into the Biological Science major, which is what I majored in. Not many people hear about it and I only found it by chance. It is a science degree but you would still be in the college of agriculture. It is a very flexible degree and gives you more options after graduation if vet school doesn't work out. More or less you need a lot of upper level science electives, but you can choose which ones you want to take. I took mostly animal science classes with many of those being strictly equine classes. But you are also given the opportunity to take pretty much any other science electives that may interest you.

 

[PetPony]

I wasn't going for an equine science degree anymore, but the animal science with emphasis on horses sounds good. That way i could get the broad animal science in, while still having a little more focus on horses, but not only them. That sounds really awesome. Thank you for telling me that, because I haven't found any about that when looking at the programs at UGA. That makes me even happier that I chose it. :]

The biological science degree sounds interesting, too, so I will look into that. Thank you very much!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Georgia is a great school. Both our new residents next year are coming from the vet school there. Congrats!

Yeah, often degrees allow for some sort of specialization or "emphasis". My boyfriend got his degree in Animal Science with two "emphases" one in Biotechnology and one in International Agriculture Studies. I got my degree in Biochemistry with a Biomedical Technology emphasis. Sometimes they are not widely advertised, so a little searching may be in order. But I think they are great ways to have a board-based degree but explore more specialized areas without getting "over-specialized", know what I mean?

 

[FleurNoire]

Congrats on your acceptances to colleges PetPony, you sound like you're gonna give other pre-vet hopefuls a run for their money when you eventually apply. I majored in Animal Science with an emphasis on equine science as my under grad. First of all, I am no horse person. I grew up in the city, never had money for lessons or anything like that, so thats why I chose the equine emphasis so I could learn more. I absolutely loved my classes, especially reproduction and exercise physiology. I think having such a degree isn't going to limit you to just being a trainer as there are so many other things you can do since you'll have a good foundation of knowledge. I think a lot of it depends on your experiences too.

Although I really enjoyed my degree, I'm pretty sure the equine industry isn't for me. There are so many others out there such as you that have been around horses all their life, and besides I have way more veterinary experience in small animal practice and working with exotics and wildlife. So you see, having the degree related to horses doesn't stop me from working with cats or birds. It's never too late to change what you want to do, you might go to school and realize you love frogs and want to do research on them

for now, just pursue what you love. I have this motto of never doing anything unless its for yourself, don't do it because you think it'll look good on an application unless it's something you really want to do. If it leads you to vet school, great, but if not, at least you'll be happy wherever you end up. Good luck !